


Poe Dameron's Guide to Rey

by JasmineRey



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Pre-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 10:07:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24469216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasmineRey/pseuds/JasmineRey
Summary: It's not until the Resistance finally finds its new home and settles down on Ajan Kloss, when life isn't just a continuous panicked dash between planets, when they all finally have the chance to breathe between missions, that Poe truly starts to get to know Rey, to see who she is beyond the heroic image and array of impressive skills.
Relationships: Poe Dameron & Finn & Rey, Poe Dameron & Rey
Comments: 8
Kudos: 25





	Poe Dameron's Guide to Rey

Poe has heard quite a lot of things about Rey by the time he meets her formally on-board the Millennium Falcon after Crait. A natural pilot and skilled warrior with a real knack for fixing things, not to mention _Last Jedi_ and _Hope of the Resistance_. Yeah, that's what people are calling her. Talk about pressure. He certainly doesn't envy her position.

In the time immediately following Crait, as they scramble between systems, planets, and temporary bases of operation, and venture out on various missions in attempts to continue the fight and build the Resistance back up from its humble remains, Poe gets a few glimpses at Rey in action and, you know, they weren't kidding. She's great. Amazing, actually. As skilled and talented as they say. But there are parts of her that still remain a complete mystery to him. She's not as open with him as she is with Finn, or with Leia. It's mostly just business, ship talk, and a bit of lighthearted joking with him. Nothing particularly deep or personal (except maybe when they bond over their mutual love for BB-8).

It's not until the Resistance finally finds its new home and settles down on Ajan Kloss, when life isn't just a continuous panicked dash between planets, when they all finally have the chance to breathe between missions, that Poe truly starts to get to know Rey, to see who she is beyond the heroic image and array of impressive skills. Through casual and friendly interactions, quiet moments, mealtime conversations, and at least one whack to the head, he finds himself learning more and more about her every day.

**1\. Don't sneak up behind her (because you _will_ get hit in the face)**

It's morning on base, and everyone is either heading off to perform their assigned duties, or returning from nightly duties to enjoy some brief downtime. And then there's Rey, who's probably supposed to be on her way to go do some Jedi training or mediation or something, but is instead standing stationary a few steps into a jungle thicket, her staff grasped in her hand, gazing wide-eyed at her lively green surroundings, completely awestruck and mesmerised.

Poe approaches her quietly from behind. Much to his surprise, she doesn't turn around. Instead, her enthralled gaze remains firmly fixed on the world of endless green around her. It's quite endearing, really. Poe can't help but smile.

"Rey," he says, when finally reaches her, and it's enough to pull her from her dream-like state.

For a fleeting moment, the thought crosses Poe's mind that maybe catching Rey off guard wasn't the greatest idea, especially considering she is holding a weapon, and he's seen what she can do with that thing. Unfortunately for Poe, he's not given the chance to fully contemplate the consequences of his actions before those consequences whirl around at a speed faster than the human eye can comprehend and, with great strength and expert precision, strike him hard right in the centre of his face. A sharp pain shoots from the bridge of his nose to the edges of his skull, and the force of the hit is enough to knock him to the ground. He lies there for a moment, dazed.

_What the hell just happened?_

When he opens his eyes, he is greeted by a very apologetic-looking Rey, her staff still grasped in one hand, and her other hand extended towards him.

_Right. Rey. That's what happened._

All that defensive fierceness she attacked him with just moments ago seems to vanish in an instant. In fact, once she stops rambling off apologies, Rey is completely silent. It's not until later, when he is resting in the med-bay with a splitting headache, and the blood has finally stopped pouring out of his nose, that she finally speaks again.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asks from her seat beside the bed, wincing at the sight of the injury she inflicted.

Poe lifts the iced compress away from his face and smiles. "I'm fine," he assures her. "A little bruised and bloody, but nothing's broken. It's gonna take a lot more than a single hit to ruin this beautiful face."

A slight smile creeps across Rey's face and she rolls her eyes. Poe is relieved (he really doesn't want her to harbour any guilt over this), until he notices her smile fade and her guilt-stricken gaze shift back to the floor.

"Look, don't feel bad about this, alright? It was my fault. I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that."

Rey lifts her eyes to look at him again. For a moment, she just stares at him, studying his face, as if searching for a sign that he genuinely means what he says, rooting out any possibility of ill-natured intentions hidden behind his words

"Okay," she says at last, apparently satisfied. She rests back in her chair. "Still, I probably shouldn't have hit you." She pauses. "Although, I did hit Finn the first time I met him, so I suppose it's only fair."

**2\. To Rey, pretty much any food is good food**

With the Resistance's supplies generally being quite meagre, the food isn't exactly the best. Poe carries his bowl of tonight's dinner over to the makeshift dining area. Taking a seat with Finn and Rey, he examines the contents of the bowl more closely.

"Well this is... something," he says, eyeing it with suspicion and slight distaste. Although Poe prefers food with a bit of flavour and spice, he's no snob. If he's hungry, he'll eat what is put in front of him. But even his stomach is churning at the sight of the grey-ish brown liquid littered with miscellaneous lumps of... honestly, he doesn't know. It smells... not great, like mixtures of scents that really shouldn't go together. But hey, it's edible. It's food.

He glances over at his companions. Finn is also examining the food warily, stirring the contents around with his spoon. Rey, on the other hand, has already consumed almost half of her meal, and is happily scooping spoonful after spoonful into her mouth.

"Well, at least I know who I can donate my leftovers to," he remarks.

Rey turns to face him, and her eyes narrow as she examines his expression. She glances down for a moment at his still-full bowl, then back at him, frowning. "You don't like it?" she asks, puzzled.

Poe stifles a laugh. "You _do_ like it?"

Rey nods. "I've never eaten so well in my life, or so often. No matter how much I scavenged, there's no way I ever could have eaten like this on Jakku. I'm grateful."

The words aren't at all biting; they are sincere, and that only makes them sting more. There's an ache in Poe's chest as he imagines a young girl working herself to the point of exhaustion every day for pathetic scraps of food, never knowing the comfort and satisfaction of home-cooked meals prepared by a loving family.

He looks at Finn, who is staring at Rey, sympathy swimming in his deep brown eyes. Without saying a word, Finn scoops some of the grey sludge onto his spoon and begins to eat. Poe sighs, and does the same. It tastes bland, and the texture of it feels uncomfortable on his tongue, but it's food. And he swears to himself that, someday, he's going to introduce Rey to good food. Actual good food. He can already think of some old family recipes that would blow her mind.

"So you did like it after all," Rey says later, as they make their way over to the cleaning station to wash their bowls and cutlery.

Poe shakes his head. "No, not particularly. But I ate it anyway. Food is food, and like you said, we're fortunate to have what we have here."

Rey smiles, but Poe notices a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

"What? What's wrong?"

She shakes her head and laughs. "Nothing. It's just that... well... I was sort of looking forward to eating your leftovers."

**3\. She likes flowers**

It's quite a pleasant morning, and since Poe has no urgent matters to attend to, he decides to go for a walk. He often goes for a quiet stroll through the jungle when he has some downtime. It's a good way, he's discovered, for him to distance himself momentarily from the war, both physically and mentally. It gives him the chance to clear his head. To breathe.

A wave of peace washes over him as he wanders among the soft greenness. The air is warm and wet, but the shade of the trees offers some coolness. A gentle symphony of rustles, chirps, and buzzes emanate from the vegetation around him, mingling with the distant sounds of voices and whirring ship engines coming from the base.

As Poe reaches out to trail his hand through a lush bush of smooth leaves, he notices something, flickers of white and purple, hidden amongst the curtain of green. Upon closer inspection, he realises what they are. Flowers! Small white and purple flowers. He cannot resist plucking one from the bush. There's something about their simple beauty that sparks a little joy inside of him. He tucks the flower into the pocket of his shirt and heads back the way he came.

When Poe reaches the base, he catches sight of Rey almost immediately. She seems to be on her way to do some Jedi stuff, but when she sees, she smiles and wanders over.

"Where have you been?" she pries curiously.

"Just went for a walk," he replies.

Rey nods approvingly, but Poe notices she seems distracted by something. He tracks her eyeline and realises where her gaze is fixed: the flower in his pocket.

"You like it?" he asks. "Found it on my walk. Thought it looked nice." He plucks the flower from his pocket and holds it out to Rey. "Here, you can have it if you want."

Rey's eyes widen. "Really?"

"Well, yeah," he says. "I can easily get another one just like it next time I go for a walk. This one's all yours."

Rey carefully takes the flower from his hand, and Poe watches as her face lights up with joy. "Wow, thank you!" She gingerly touches the white and purple petals. "It's so pretty!"

Poe chuckles. "You're welcome," he says, and he can't seem to wipe the smile off his face. There's something about Rey's pure, innocent excitement that makes it impossible not to share in it with her. It radiates from her, brightening everything around her. Maybe it's not Rey's Jedi training that will help them win the war. Maybe the bright light that beams from this girl will envelope the whole galaxy, and everyone will feel it, and everything will be okay. "Hey, if you're not too busy with training, maybe you'd like to join me on a walk sometime," Poe suggests. "Finn could come too, and I could show you guys where I found the flowers."

He didn't think it was possible for Rey's smile to grow any wider, or for the excitement in her eyes to shine even brighter, but it happens. "That's a great idea!" she exclaims, then sighs. "We'll have to do it later though. I have to go train now. I'm already running late. Leia is going to be cross."

She hurries off, and Poe exhales in amusement. He imagines Rey arriving at her training, the tiny flower still gripped between her fingers as she apologises profusely for her lateness and, with that excitement shining in her eyes, tells the story of Poe and the flower and how pretty it is. Somehow, he just can't see the General getting cross at that.

**4\. She loves the rain**

It's late afternoon when the heavy grey clouds hanging heavy in the sky decide to open up and release the deluge of water they've been holding all day. Most Resistance fighters, if they weren't working inside already, move to take shelter in the cavern.

But not Rey.

Wearing her rain poncho, Rey sits at the opening of the cavern, knees tucked up to her chest. She's reaching her hands out into the weather, welcoming it with open arms, inviting the rain drops to fall freely on her skin. It makes sense, Poe muses. Rey grew up on a harsh, cruel desert planet. The desert sky doesn't just _give_ you water for free. To Rey, rain is likely still a miracle, a generous, life-sustaining gift.

"Guess you like the rain," he comments as he wanders over to join her, because apparently he has nothing better to do than observe a former desert child's wide-eyed glee at an afternoon downpour.

"I love it," she breathes. "It's wonderful." She turns to glance up at him, her eyes sparkling with a feverish joy. "Do you like it?"

Poe nods. "Yeah. I grew up on a jungle planet. We got our fair share of rain." He lowers himself to the ground and sits, drawing his knees up to his chest. "Rain is nice," he agrees, staring out into the curtain of water falling generously over the lush green vegetation. "It keeps things living and growing."

Rey nods slightly. "There was never any rain on Jakku," she says in a low, soft voice. "Everything was always dry and dead."

Poe can hear the unspoken sorrow and aching between her words. The pain of survival. The misery of a world where death outweighs life, where cruelty outweighs kindness, where everything is coarse and rough and brutal instead of soft and gentle and loving. His heart sinks and he bites his lip. "Doesn't sound like a great place to live."

Rey shakes her head. "It wasn't," she says quietly. "But it was home."

A small flare of anger burns in the pit of Poe's stomach, at the injustice of it all. Finn growing up in the First Order and Rey on Jakku. Neither of them deserved that. They both deserved better. So much better.

His indignation dissipates quickly though, because he looks at Rey, sees her leaning forward into the rain, blinking away the droplets as they fall on her eyelids and trail down her cheeks like tears washing away years of pain, sees the pure glee and genuine hope shining in her eyes.

Poe smiles. "Well, now you've got a home with rain."

A strange expression passes over Rey's face at the word _home,_ and Poe wonders for a moment if he's perhaps said the wrong thing, maybe pressed a bit too hard on a wound that's still tender and unhealed. But her expression soon morphs into a soft smile.

"Yeah," she says. "I guess I do."

**5\. She's Rey**

Poe has seen Rey cry before. The first time he ever saw her, she was standing on the D'Qar landing platform, distressed and lost and overwhelmed, with damp cheeks and eyes rimmed red and filled with tears, as she watched the medical team whisk Finn away. He'd only glanced at her briefly, but it was enough to see the distraught face of a girl whose whole reality had just been flipped upside down, then promptly shattered, just as it had begun to feel like home.

He's seen Rey cry since then too. Sometimes, he catches a glimpse of her sitting up awake in the middle of the night, presumably after a nightmare. Or he arrives on the fringes of some kind of private, emotional conversation between her and Finn or Leia, a conversation that dissipates the second his presence is noticed.

Somehow, this time, it feels different.

He finds her sitting on her cot, knees hugged tightly to her chest as tears flood down her cheeks. She's visibly distressed, sobbing, her breaths coming in and out as small gasps. But it's not just that. She seems... defeated. She stares despairingly at the workbench near her cot, where pieces of a lightsaber lay scattered and several ancient-looking books lay open with their brittle pages and mysterious writings exposed. She stares at the mess like it's unfixable, unsolvable. Hopeless. And Poe knows, he knows something inside of her aches in a way he couldn't possibly understand.

 _And that's why you should just leave her be_ , a voice in the back of his mind says, and he's not quite sure if it's common sense, humility, or self-deprecation talking, so he elects to ignore it. Better to listen to the tugging in his chest, the instinct to help where help is needed, to fix things, to repair damage, to offer a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on to struggling comrades, because that love and care and patching up of wounds and pulling people out of dark places is the very strength of the Resistance, the foundation it's built upon.

He approaches her quietly.

"You okay?"

Rey jumps and her eyes snap up to meet his. She quickly wipes her eyes with the back of her hand and forces a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," she says. "I'm just taking a break from..." She gestures vaguely at her workbench. "All of that."

"Okay." Poe nods and starts to walk away. He doesn't want to intrude. Besides, if Rey did want to talk about whatever is bothering her, she would go to Finn or Leia. Not him. But he turns back to look at her, sees her folding herself into an even tighter ball, like the weight of the galaxy is resting on her shoulders (and, well, it kind of is), hugging herself like she's trying so desperately to hold herself together, and Poe decides he can't just walk away.

"Look," he says, "I do the whole put-on-a-tough-face-wipe-your-tears-away thing too. I do it a lot. Like, _a lot_. It's kind of a problem, actually. My point is, I know it when I see it. You don't have to tell me what's wrong. You don't have to tell anyone. I know sometimes it all seems easier that way. But just know you do have people here for you, people you can talk to. Like Leia and Finn. You can keep it to yourself if you want, but you don't have to."

Rey nods. "Thank you." She sniffs and wipes her eyes again. "And I did talk to Leia and Finn."

"Oh, okay," says Poe, and he suddenly remembers the walls, the invisible walls that usually divide him and Rey, that keep them respectfully at an arm's length out of each other's private concerns. "Well, that's good. That's really good. I'll just... um... I'll leave you be then."

He turns to leave, but –

"Poe."

He turns back.

"Yeah?"

"Do you see me as a Jedi?" She asks the question with such seriousness, hesitation hinging on each word as if she's dreading the eventual answer. It's strange and unsettling, the intensity behind such a simple inquiry. Poe feels the weight of it pressing down on him.

He swallows. "Well, yeah, I guess so," he says, as casually as he can. "You train hard, study hard, use the Force, and fight real good with a lightsaber. Not gonna lie, it's quite incredible to watch you wield that thing."

Rey nods solemnly. "I think most people here see me as that. A Jedi. And I guess I am, but..." She pauses, gnawing on her lip. "Sometimes I worry that I won't be able to live up to what everyone wants me to be, what they think I am. And if I'm not useful... then I have no place here."

Her voice breaks painfully on her last few words as another sob builds up in her throat, and Poe feels his own heart tear in two. He knows he is only seeing part of the story, a small piece of the burden Rey bears, a fragment she is willing to let him see, one single scar among the myriads her skin holds. Years of pain and struggles and mentalities so deeply ingrained, mingling with newfound fears of failure on a galactic scale, of fate, of lives in her hands, of a legacy to uphold.

Poe has known pressure. He's known fear, and the crushing weight of failure (lately, a little too intimately for his liking). He's known lives in his hands. But never like that. Never that much faith and hope placed in him. Never that many heavy loads to balance at once.

And never, not for a single moment, has he feared he may just be a weapon in someone's utility belt, valuable only for what he can provide, disposable the second he is no longer useful.

He looks at Rey. _How could she ever think that –_

He moves to sit beside her on the cot. They sit in silence for a moment, as Poe tries to collect his thoughts. "Look," he says at last. "I stand by what I said. You're a fantastic fighter. Probably the best we've got. You're also an amazing pilot. And you're great at repairing things. Those are all skills we really need around here. But even if you weren't all that, you still belong here. You're still a part of all this. There are people here who want you around regardless. Finn, for a start. That man thinks you're the galaxy and all the bright, beautiful things in it. He'd travel to the edges of the galaxy, into whatever deep-space hell, just to be with you. As for Leia, you realise you're basically the daughter she never had, right? She adores you. You're definitely her new favourite. I used to be the favourite, but you've claimed that title now. One hundred per cent. Don't worry though, I'm only a little bit jealous," he assures her, "because I think you're great too. You, Rey, with or without all the Jedi stuff. You're my friend. At least, I hope we're friends, because otherwise this big heartfelt speech is about to get super awkward."

Rey laughs lightly. "We're friends, Poe," she says. More tears slip from her eyes, but she doesn't brush them away. She just smiles. "Thank you."

He smiles back at her and nudges her playfully with his shoulder. "Anytime."


End file.
